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Author Notes:Inspired by a trip to Sicily, this pasta dish is the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and a hint of heat. Best of all, you will use both stems and bulb of beautiful fennel and it truly runs through the entire dish! —wgfoodie

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Serves 4

1
Fennel Bulb + Stems

1
Yellow Onion

1
Garlic Clove

2
ounces Anchovies (in can - ex. Cento)

1/2
pound Sardines (optional)

1
pinch Saffron

2
tablespoons Golden Raisins

2
tablespoons Pine Nuts

5
tablespoons Olive Oil

1
dash Salt + Pepper

16
ounces Pasta

1
teaspoon Dried Red Chile Flakes

1
tablespoon Capers

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water once boiled.

Separate the fennel stems from the bulb. Add the stems to the boiling water and cook until soft. Once soft, remove from the water and set aside (reserve the boiling water for your pasta).

Use a mandoline slicer on the fennel bulb. Finely chop up the yellow onion and garlic clove.

Drizzle olive oil into a large sauté pan and add the anchovies and sardines.

Once the fish has melted a bit into the oil, add the chopped onions & garlic, and capers. Season with salt + pepper.

Chop up the boiled fennel tops you set aside earlier and add to the pan. Mix in with the other ingredients.

In a small bowl with about 1/2 cup of warm water (you can use some of the water you boiled fennel in), add the saffron and raisins. Set aside.

Cook your pasta according to the package and to your liking (I like mine al dente, but totally up to you) with the water in which you boiled fennel.

Once the pasta has cooked to al dente, drain and add straight to the sauté pan. Raise the heat on the pan to medium, pour in the bowl of raisins & saffron, toss in the pine nuts, season with salt + pepper and sauté for a few minutes.